On March 27, 2025, the Nairobi National Polytechnic hosted the official handover of climate and environmentally friendly refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) equipment to local institutions, marking a milestone for the Green Cooling Initiative in Kenya.
The event featured the donation of a transcritical CO2 ejector supermarket refrigeration training RACK and 24 R290 split air-conditioners with tools. These were provided to four technical training institutions and the Coast General Hospital, which received 15 units. The equipment handover was organized by the Kenyan Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry (MECCF), the German Embassy, the Nairobi National Polytechnic, and GIZ Proklima, with funding from the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV).
The initiative supports the implementation of the Montreal Protocol and the Kigali Amendment by promoting natural refrigerants such as R290 and CO2. These alternatives offer lower environmental impact and higher energy efficiency compared to synthetic refrigerants.
Trainers from Kenya and Germany conducted training sessions on the donated systems to ensure effective use and maintenance. The installation at Coast General Hospital is intended as a demonstration project, highlighting the advantages of energy-efficient cooling in healthcare environments.
According to the organizers, the donation is part of a broader investment in developing Kenya’s RAC workforce and infrastructure. GIZ also announced plans to donate an additional 80 green air-conditioning units to technical institutions and another hospital. This will be part of the GRACE project, supporting Kenya’s room air-conditioning sector over the next three years.